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Sometimes a person with anxiety will be treated with just one approach. More often, though, doctors use a bit of both. Researchers are still exploring whether medication alone, therapy alone, or medicine and therapy together are best for treating anxiety. For many kids, the combination helps the most. Medicine for Anxiety Several types of drugs are used to treat anxiety disorders. The most popular type has a very long name: selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). You might have heard of drug names like Prozac, Luvox, Paxil, and Zoloft. These are all SSRIs. How do SSRIs work? Your brain has billions of special cells called neurons . SSRIs work by helping all those neurons do their jobs better.

Suicidal Thoughts

Studies have found that SSRIs might cause an increase in suicidal thoughts in certain patients.

The vast majority of patients do not have this problem, but it can happen. So if you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, it is very important to tell an adult right away. In fact, you should tell someone about all the side effects you experience from SSRIs. When kids are involved, doctors usually have a conversation with caregivers about what side effects might occur. Hopefully, this will make it easier to talk to them about it.